The Girl in the Red Dress
by Dorky Dorcas
Summary: What happened to Lennie and George before they came to the ranch in Salinas? Part of my GCSE English Lit. Coursework


The warm American sun gazed over the Californian town of Weed

We read "Of Mice and Men" at school for are GCSE's, afterwards Miss asked us to write a story about either what happened in Weed with the girl in the red dress or about Curly's Wife before she married him. I ended up choosing Weed (that sounds slightly weird lol).

We had to write in the style of the author, John Steinbeck and include things he had in his story, e.g. circular plot (the characters start and end in the same place), animal references and lots of foreshadowing. I think I did okay, my teacher seemed happy with it she gave me a B.

The warm American sun gazed over the Californian town of Weed. Mount Shasta lay in the background dominating over the city on that late-morning as the day was slowly coming towards the afternoon. The wheat in a nearby field gently waved to each other as the gentle summer breeze brush over them. The light wind gushed down the dirt road causing a small brown sandy whirlwind to take over the road until the wind finally died down and moved on. The winds pursued down the road that followed a stream that ended up near a wood.

Suddenly a bear of a man appeared from behind the trees. He walked awkwardly around a tree branch that was poking out in the way of his path. The man had been squashed into denim shirt and jeans that he was pulling at uncomfortably, he also wore a denim hat. As soon as he reached the uncovered area he turned around and looked expectedly at the area he had just come from.

Another man in the same kind of attire emerged; he was a lot smaller than the other but walked with the presence that he either didn't know this, care or both. He saw the same branch the larger man had had trouble with earlier, but instead of going through the same trouble as him he just pushed it out the way and let it twang back.

"C'mon Lennie," he said as he passed the bear-like-man and carried down the dusty road.

Lennie hurried after the smaller man, almost tripping in the process clumsily. He watched the smaller man carefully from behind, trying to match his walk to his. Lennie attention then went to his new surroundings.

"Wow," said Lennie, pointing at Mount Shasta. "D'at's a big hill, George."

"It's a volcano," the smaller man, George answered without looking up from the path.

Lennie gazed at the volcano then back at George then back at Mount Shasta again. He carried on staring at the humungous landmark until an extremely confused look appeared on his large face. "Why are we here, George?" he asked dumbly.

George closed his eyes and gave a loud moan, "We're going into the city," he said slowly.

"Why?"

"To get us some food," he explained.

"Why?" repeated Lennie.

"C'os if we don't, were gonna starve," George said simply.

"B-But George," stuttered Lennie. "What about d'at nice ol' lady back at the ranch?

"What'cha rambling on 'bout you crazy bastard?" asked George puzzled. There was no lady at there last ranch in Weed, they hadn't seen a woman in ages. Then realisation fell across Georges's face, "D'you mean the boss in Dorris misses?"

"Yeah, the nice ol' lady who did the cooking."

"Gods Lennie, that was weeks ago! We're in Weed now, 'kay?" he looked at the huge man concerned. "Lennie, d'you remembers the ranch we've just came from? Not the one with the 'nice ol' lady', the other one…the ranch we've jus' left."

"Yea', 'course George." said Lennie happily.

George looked a mixture doubt and gladness, "C'mon we'd betta hurry up or we won't get there till tomorrow."

The two men carried down along the dusty path, not talking much unless it was the odd comment that would occasionally end up with George explaining something to Lennie.

It wasn't long before the two men had reached the High Street in the city of Weed, the buildings toward over the ranch workers as they walked down the street. Lennie looked up at the buildings and people in the city with delight and excitement etched all over his face. The city people carried on with there daily business apart from the rare youngster who would gawp at Lennie's size.

"George?" asked Lennie timidly.

"Hmm?"

A stray vicious looking dog was poking his long dark nose at a dead bird. He then started shaking the bird in his mouth, as if it was a toy. People crossed over the road so they wouldn't have to go by the dog. George pushed Lennie other towards the other side of the road too, to avoid the dog.

"George?" repeated Lennie.

"What?" he asked, glancing back at the dog to make sure it hadn't decided to cross the road too, "What's the matter, Lennie?"

"Why we 'ere, again?" he asked.

George rolled his eyes. "We're gettin' some food then we're gonna go to Salinas."

"But why are we going to Salinas?"

"We're gonna go work at som' ranch."

"Why can't we stay at the other ranch, 'ere?"

"C'os…c'os we bloomin' can't you crazy bastard. Now, stop askin' so many questions." said George finally. They had ended up near a small grocery store.

Just then a girl in a short, provocative red dress came from out of a crowd of people, her short mousy hair bounced around her head as she walked closer towards the store. A few older women were gossiping at her choice of clothes but she only smirked at them, she didn't seem to mind the attention she was getting, she seemed to actually be enjoying it.

George watched the girl vaguely interested as she came closer, she smiled at the men before entered the shop. He noticed that Lennie had also been staring at her; he looked up at him with his eyebrows raised.

"Sorr' George," mumbled Lennie.

"S'awright," he said. "Right, Lennie, you stay 'ere and I'll be wright back, okay?"

"Yes, George."

George reliantly left Lennie outside after telling him not to talk to _anyone_ for what must have been the hundredth time. Lennie stood outside the store by the long white picket fence that ran pass the house next door, he stared at the store in front of him waiting for George to come back like a faithful dog waiting for his owner.

After what seemed like hours to Lennie the bell above the store door gave a ring. Lennie looked happily at the door but only saw the girl in the red dress with a couple of bags. She was trying to balance her purse and groceries but accidentally dropped one of the brown paper bags, fruits and vegetables rolled across the pavement.

"Oh, Gods," she moaned, she looked up expectedly at the closes person who happened to be Lennie it was as if she assumed that he would pick up the foodstuff for her.

Lennie was looking down at his feet, George didn't look happy when he was looking at the girl earlier. Lennie then noticed an orange roll towards his large foot. He hadn't seen food like that in ages.

Lennie jumped onto the floor and grabbed the food like a squirrel trying to grab the most acorns before another animal. It took him a few moments to work out that the food belonged to the girl, he passed them back to her grudgingly (he knew that George would be mad if he found out that he didn't); it was then that he noticed her silky red dress properly, it soft looking material fell over her body perfectly.

"That's a purty dress," said Lennie. He brushed his large heavy hand against the girl's dress near her thigh.

"Oh, thank y—" the girl screamed at the shock of Lennie's touch and smacked him.

Lennie looked at the girl stunned as she carried on hitting him, she was a lot smaller than him and her constant struggle reminded Lennie of another small creature far back in his mind. People in the street stared at them, a few of them tried to get away, thinking that Lennie might suddenly turn on them. Some men saw and tried to wrestle the girl out of Lennie's grasp, but he was too strong for them, which made the girl scream louder, and Lennie more scared.

Finally George appeared running out of the shop along with the shopkeeper.

"Let go, Lennie! Let her go!" he bellowed.

But Lennie continued to struggle with the girl and it was obvious that the girl was going to choke from his grasp if he didn't let go soon. George by now was extremely worried some men had turned up now with shot guns and so the sheriff would probably turn up.

George looked around for something to grab Lennie attention but saw nothing but the picket fence behind him. Quickly he grabbed part of it and smacked it in the back of Lennie's head. Lennie's clasp lessoned so the girl could get away. She pulled herself away from him and ran down the High Street as fast as she could like a mouse escaping from its predator.

"Lennie, come on!" yelled George.

Lennie stayed still paralyzed with shock as the men started to close in on him. They yelled at him and shouted threats. Everything was happening to fast for Lennie; he couldn't keep up with the men and George's shouts and with what had just happened.

"Lennie, you crazy bastard!" roared George hitting Lennie in the head again. Finally Lennie woke up and followed George as he rand down the street.

The men chased them down the High Street path and through to near the outskirts of town. Lennie and George ran down to the river by the side of the dirt road, where they had only been a few hours ago.

"C'mon, Lennie!" called George. He pushed him down the small slope so he nearly fell head first into the water. "C'mon," he repeated more urgently. The sound of men and dogs could be heard throughout the tress, so not to be caught George pushed Lennie into the river before jumping in himself. "Stay still, Lennie," he whispered.

They stayed there for what could have been hours or maybe just a few moments, but after a while George indicated to Lennie to slowly go down the riverbank, then after a while then leaped out and ran back down the sandy dirt road.

Lennie gazed back out Mount Shasta then followed George clumsily to Salinas.


End file.
